Added On September 21, 2011
The Real Truth About Leg Extensions: Good Or Evil
by Rusi
The majority of the squat crowd looks at leg extensions like it's the most degrading thing you can do. If someone of those dudes see you doing leg extensions you are dead for him or at least you are gay. I had to learn the hard way to there is no such thing as a useless exercise. Every movement can be effective when used in the right context. Leg extensions and squats are completely different and comparing them would be like comparing a skateboard and a horse - both can be used for transportation and depending on your location and goal each can be valuable.
Leg extensions are an isolation exercise for your quadriceps and small muscles around the knee such as the famous teardrop or Vastus medialis. However many people believe that they can be stressful to the knees. Yes, they can hurt your knees. But you can hurt your knees while running, jumping, kicking and when you squat - even if you've read “the squat chapter of Starting Strength” - if you know what I mean. Many people hurt their knees doing leg extensions because of the following reasons;
A - Lifting too heavy - nobody cares how much you can lift on the leg extension machine. Actually no one cares how you much you lift on any exercise. People are so self-focused and unless it's a competition they will never give you credit for anything. So, don't try to impress strangers. Remember that you are doing this for yourself - not for them. Actually fuck them !!!
B - Leg extensions should not be treated like a power exercise and you should never do low rep work. I don't ever go below 7-8 reps. Doing 1RM leg extension or even 5RM is just as stupid as doing 1RM wrist curl or 1RM upright row.
C - Most people are doing the negative part of the movement too fast. Always go slow and controlled on the way down.
D - You have a pre-existing injury that is aggravated by a certain type of movements such as the leg extension;
If you treat the leg extensions as an assistance exercise and follow the above principles its unlikely to have knee problems. I personally like to do leg extensions in order to pre-exhaust my quadriceps prior to squats and to strengthen the Vastus medialis. The first time I did leg extensions the burn in theVastus medialis was unbelievable. For me this was a clear sign that I got a weak one. At the same time many people do light leg extensions just for warm-up and then do squats. I don't see the point because the leg extension does not replicate the squat movement at all. It makes more sense to do body-weight or light squat for warm-up. On the other hand leg extensions can be used as a finishing exercise for your quadriceps.
Another argument of the squat legion is that the leg extensions do not follow the pattern of any “natural” movement. This is not true. The leg extension is basically a kick and I know a lot of athletes that like kicking - mainly fighters and football players. You certainly can't effectively kick a bag doing any kind of squatting motion. And during the force transmission you will certainly perform some kind of leg extension. The same stays true when you kick a ball. You can't do a squat-kick. You will have to extend your leg. Sorry bros.
The point is that saying that there are unnatural exercises is like saying that there are unnatural sports. The body is not supposed to be “natural” otherwise all the sports we play would be fast walking, running and jumping. Makes no sense. Yes, the human body is built for a certain type of movements which are based on the basic joint movements but saying that extending your leg is less natural than squatting is like saying that using my fingers for typing is less natural than using them to form a middle finger.
In high school I was a skater. And I think that some of the “natural” guys should be offended because there is nothing “natural” about jumping with a board under you, jumping over stairs, doing crazy flips and so on. After all you have legs, why use a skateboard. The truth is that if you can do a certain move achieved true a combination of basic joint movements it can be considered “natural”.
Remember: Leg extensions are just a tool like every other exercise - use them correctly.
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